Telephone switching system including toll service desk

ABSTRACT

A telephone central office system incorporating a toll service desk with special switching equipment including toll recording trunks which reduces the extent of operator participation in processing telephone calls, and which uses a reduced number of trunks to effect improved service. Operators at the toll service desks can handle call items in any order, but cannot release a call until all requirements are met. In calls requiring operator participation, the operator may release once the service necessary to establish or forward the call is given, and is relieved from manually having to make out tickets on any calls except on calls to subscribers in non-dialable offices involving alpha-numeric directory numbers. Special features of the system include flash recall of an operator at any time on any call, automatic answer time display upon flash recall from a non-coin station, automatic answer time display during the initial period and elapsed time display after the initial period upon flash recall from a coin station, reestablishment without rekeying of a call in the forward direction after flash recall, automatic or manual insertion of time and charge and class-change, and changing a call status by the operator from station-to-station to person-to-person and vice versa.

United States Patent 51 Nov. 7, 1972 Halbedel et al. v

[54] TELEPHONE SWITCHING SYSTEM INCLUDING TOLL SERVICE DESK 221 Filed: March 12,1969

211 App]. No.: 806,787

[52] US. Cl. ..179/27 FF [51] Int. Cl. ..-..H04m 3/42 [58] Field of Search ..l79/27 FF [56] References Cited UNFIED STATES PATENTS 3,484,560 12/1969 Jaeger et al ..l79/27.23

Primary ExaminerWilliam C. Cooper Attorney.lohnson, Dienner, Emrich, Verbeck & Wagner [57] ABSTRACT A telephone central office system incorporating a toll service desk with special switching equipment including toll recording trunks which reduces the extent of operator participation in processing telephone calls,

' and which uses a reduced number of trunks to effect improved service. Operators at the toll service desks can handle call items in any order, but cannot release a call until all requirements are met. In calls requiring operator participation, the operator may release once the service necessary to establish or forward the call is given, and is relieved from manually having to make out tickets on any calls except on calls to subscribers in non-dialable offices involving alpha-numeric directory numbers.

Special features of the system include flash recall of an operator at any time on any call, automatic answer time display upon flash recall from a non-coin station, automatic answer time display during the initial period and elapsed time display after the initial period upon flash recall from a coin station, reestablishment without rekeying of a call in the forward direction after flash recall, automatic or manual insertion of time and charge and class-change, and changing a call status by the operator from station-to-station to person-to-person and vice versa.

W lj Claims, 120 Drawing Figures TRIB MP RIC PATENTEl'lnuv 11912 3,702,381 sum mm 113 DON EDWARD HALBEDE L JOSEPH HAROLD LONG BENJAMIN J. BAGWELL CAMERON C.SCHWEITZER JAMES LEROY HORNING JACK E.CALLENDER,deceosed, ERIK AXEL LISSAKERS by EVELYN N CALLENDER Adminislrairix BY fl A! r flMO ATTORNEY S R M ,II 0mm 4! 524. hut nHv UHOU I. 6.8.? $5 0 SUV t A I IBM? 0.! Al A 0. $5 la AD NDH v! 0 6v 3v C E .rfuum H-ubm A m2... A0 0-!om ll O: 7 0 Sc I I Jul H UNu o uuu ANV Fmv 0 0 0 nmv an I r... E a: JNF "-0 A ,3 YE ADV #(V n v v n w nflfinv PAIENTEDIM 11912 SHEET UEUF 113 CC ll an Qrv Won. Om...

Jim

how any lAlll U0? See an; :5

' NORMALLY OPERATED 1 J PATENTEDnnv 1 m2 SHEET 100? 113 05 Amy SHEET llUF 113 minimum 1 me I I I ii? "I I U I I LI G1. B L 5 3 .0 $5. 2 2 5 S u PATENTEDunv 1:912.

SHEET 130F 113 Amy as E 3 3513 gas an.

.l 5 2am hm mu aa mfmvrn.

PATENTi-fflnuv 11912 3.702.381

sum lSUF 113 V 2 07 .IIIJ

PATENTEDflnv 11912 3.702.381

sum 180F 113 

1. A telephone central office switching system having at least one toll service desk (TSD), toll ticketing equipment (TRO), a plurality of toll recording trunks (TRT-O), a plurality of lines over which calls are initiated, a first switching means (SLA, GSA) including marker means for selecting an idle one of the toll recording trunks from said plurality of toll recording trunks and for connecting the calling line to the selected idle one of the toll recording trunks, means for providing a first signal set which identifies the calling line and a second signal set which provides the category of the calling line, a first register means (RTT) accessible to said toll recording trunk for storing the called number of a connection, a second register means (IBR) for storing the identification and category of the calling line provided by said first and second signal set, memory means (MEM) including means for storing calling and called information secured from said first and second register means (RTT and IBR), and category decoder means for ascertaining the need for operator assistance (CD) including decoding means (CD) for determining the category of the call represented by said second signal set stored in said memory means by said second register means, and call status means in said memory means for indicating the status of the call, position control means (TPC) for connecting said toll recording trunk to said toll service desk, visual display means on said toll service desk, and means in said memory means enabled by said toll recorder trunk (TRT-O) to transmit status information to said desk for display by said visual display means to the operator.
 2. A telephone system as set forth in claim 1 which includes means in said category decoder means for transmitting a signal to said toll trunk recorder (TRT-O) to stop the forward progress of the call whenever said call status means in said memory means (MEM) determines further information is required for processing of the call.
 3. A telephone system as set forth in claim 2 in which said toll recording trunk (TRT-O) includes connect means responsive to said signal from said category decoder means to release said first and second register means (RTT and IBR) from the connection.
 4. A system as set forth in claim 3 which includes second switching means (ABC) accessible to said connect means and in which said connect means in said toll recording trunk (TRT-O) also enables said second switching means (ABC) in the selection of said position control means (TPC), and which operates means in said position control means (TPC) responsive to seizure by said second switching means (ABC) to prepare said toll service desk (TSD) for use in the call.
 5. A system as set forth in claim 4 which includes a bypath circuit extending between said position control means (TPC) and said toll recording trunk (TRT-O), means in said position control circuit (TPC) responsive to seizure to signal said toll recording trunk (TRT-O) over said bypath circuit, and means in said toll recording trunk (TRT-O) for enabling said memory means to transmit kind and status information obtained from said category decoder means over said toll recording trunk (TRT-O) and said second switching means to said position control means (TPC).
 6. A system as set forth in claim 1 in which said position control means (TPC) includes means for enabling said visual display means to display said kind and status information to the operator, and means on said toll service desk (TSD) for use by said operator in transmitting additional information required for the call to said memory means.
 7. A system as set forth in claim 6 which includes code sending converter means (CSC), register sender means (REG-I, SDR-I), and means in said position control means (TPC) automatically responsive to completion of storage of the required information in said memory means to signal said toll recording trunk (TRT-O), and means in said TRT-O responsive to said signal to enable said code sending converter means (CSC) to transmit the called number stored in said memory means (MEM) via said toll recording trunk (TRT-O) to said register sender means (REG-I) for outpulsing.
 8. A system as set forth in claim 1 which includes time information means for providing time information, and supervision means in said toll recording trunk (TRT-O) responsive to answer by the calling party to enable said memory means to store the answer time provided by said time information means.
 9. A system as set forth in claim 8 which said toll recording trunk (TRT-O) includes means including said supervision means automatically responsive to a disconnect signal from the called subscriber to enable said memory means to store the time of disconnect provided by said time information means.
 10. A system as set forth in claim 9 which includes billing means (TRO) for automatically providing a record of said call, and means in said memory means responsive to storage of said disconnect time for operating said billing means.
 11. A system as set forth in claim 10 in which said toll recording trunk (TRT-O) includes recall means responsive to receipt of a recall signal during the period of an established connection thereover to effect reseizure of a toll service desk.
 12. A system as set forth in claim 11 which includes first means responsive to a flashing hookswitch signal by a calling line to enable said recall means, and call timer means (CTM) for providing an enabling signal to said recall means.
 13. A system as set forth in claim 12 in which said memory means includes means enabled by said first means to forward the answer time to said toll service desk (TSD).
 14. A system as set forth in claim 13 which said call timer means (CTM) includes means for measuring the lapsed time of a connection, and which includes means in the position control means (TPC) responsive to a later operation of said first means in said toll recording trunk to control said call timer means to forward the lapsed time to said toll service desk (TSD) for display to the operator.
 15. A system as set forth in claim 14 in which said toll service desk (TSD) includes means operable by said operator to change the class of call stored in said memory means (MEM) from one class to another.
 16. A system as set forth in claim 15 in which said visual display means includes means for displaying a request from said memory means for a plurality of different sets of information, and key means at said toll service desk for transmitting said information sets to said memory means, and in wHich said memory means accepts said information sets from said toll service desk in any sequence.
 17. A system as set forth in claim 1 in which said category decoder means includes means for automatically detecting calls from hotels, and which includes key means on said toll service desk including means for transmitting information relating to the hotel guest number over said position control means to said memory means for storage therein, and means in the position control means responsive to storage of such information in said memory means for controlling said toll recorder trunk to further extend the call through the system.
 18. A system as set forth in claim 17 in which said category decoder means includes means for providing a predetermined signal set in response to detection of a coin call, and in which said toll recording trunk includes means for effecting forwarding of call information including the calling and called number from said memory means to said toll service desk for use by the operator in providing a charge for the call.
 19. A system as set forth in claim 18 which includes means including said toll recording trunks for use in extending calls from incoming trunks over the system, and in which said category decoder means includes means for providing a predetermined class identification signal set responsive to detection of a call back which is forwarded over an incoming trunk as a result of an incomplete person-to-person call.
 20. A telephone switching system as set forth in claim 1 in which certain of said lines comprise subscriber lines, and other of said lines comprise incoming trunks, and in which said second switching means includes means for establishing connections from said toll service desk to said toll recording trunk, and in which said toll recording trunk is operative to establish a connection to said memory means in response to a call from a subscriber line, or an incoming trunk, or said toll service desk.
 21. In a telephone central office switching system having at least one toll service desk (TSD), billing equipment (TRO), a plurality of subscriber lines, a plurality of incoming trunks (IC), a common plurality of toll recording trunks (TRT-O), first switching means including a first set of paths for connecting said subscriber lines to said toll recording trunks, and a second set of paths (GSA and GSB) for connecting said incoming trunks (IC) to said toll recording trunks, second switching means including a third set of paths for connecting said toll service desk to said toll recording trunks, means for indicating the ones of said toll recording trunks which are available for access over said first, second, and third sets of paths, and means in each of said toll recording trunks for controlling engagement of said billing equipment (TRO) for toll calls established to the trunk over said first, second, or third paths.
 22. An arrangement as set forth in claim 21 which includes a plurality of registers (RTT) for recording the called number and in which said toll recording trunks (TRT-O) are arranged in groups, each two groups of toll recording trunks having access to three of said registers (RTT''s).
 23. An arrangement as set forth in claim 21 in which a position control means (TPC) is provided for each toll service desk, and in which each toll recording trunk (TRT-O) has access to a plurality of said position control means over said second switching means.
 24. A telephone central office switching system having non-coin lines, a toll recording trunk, and first means including said toll recording trunk accessible to said non-coin lines for use in extending toll calls over the system, a toll service desk, means accessible to said first means for selecting a toll service desk for temporary use in establishment of a call, means at said toll service desk for disconnecting said desk from said call, recall means in said toll recording trunk for effecting reselection of a toll seRvice desk responsive to receipt of a predetermined signal from a non-coin line during the period a call is established thereover, clock means for providing answer time for a call, storage means, and means in said toll recording trunk for enabling storage of the answer time in said storage means.
 25. A telephone central office switching system having non-coin lines, a toll recording trunk, and first means including said toll recording trunk accessible to said non-coin lines for use in extending toll calls over the system, a toll service desk, means accessible to said first means for selecting a toll service desk for temporary use in establishment of a call, means at said toll service desk for disconnecting said desk from said call, recall means in said toll recording trunk for effecting reselection of a toll service desk responsive to receipt of a predetermined signal from a non-coin line during the period a call is established thereover, call timer means, and means in said toll recording trunk for enabling said call timer means to forward the elapsed time to said toll service desk for display purposes responsive to operation of said recall means.
 26. A telephone central office switching system having non-coin lines, a toll recording trunk, and first means including said toll recording trunk accessible to said non-coin lines for use in extending toll calls over the system, a toll service desk, means accessible to said first means for selecting a toll service desk for temporary use in establishment of a call, means at said toll service desk for disconnecting said desk from said call, recall means in said toll recording trunk for effecting reselection of a toll service desk responsive to receipt of a predetermined signal from a non-coin line during the period a call is established thereover, memory means having means for storing the called number during the period of a call, and key means in each toll service desk operable to control forwarding of the called number from said memory means, whereby rekeying of the number of the operator from a call is eliminated.
 27. In a telephone central office switching system having subscriber lines, toll recording trunks, and means including said toll recording trunks accessible to said subscriber lines for use in extending calls over the system, memory means for storing information relating to the call including means for recognizing hotel subscriber calls, a toll service desk, means including said toll recording trunks responsive to detection of a hotel call to provide a display information requirement for guest room information on said toll service desk, and means at said toll service desk for keying the guest room information for storage in said memory means.
 28. A system as set forth in claim 27 which includes means at said toll service desk for releasing the toll service desk and said memory means after storage of said guest room information in said memory means, and means including said toll recording trunk for enabling completion of the call via said toll recording trunk responsive to storage of said information in said memory means.
 29. A system as set forth in claim 28 in which said toll recording trunk includes means responsive to answer by the calling party to effect storage of the answer time in said memory means.
 30. A system as set forth in claim 28 which includes billing means, and in which said toll recording trunk includes means responsive to disconnect by the calling party to automatically effect transfer of the information in said memory means for the call to said billing means.
 31. A system as set forth in claim 30 in which said billing means includes time and charge means for providing a time and charge ticket for immediate use.
 32. A telephone central office switching system having incoming trunk lines, toll recording trunks, and means including said toll recording trunks for use in extending calls from incoming trunks over the system, a toll service desk, means accessible to said toLl recording trunk for selecting a toll service desk for use in extending a call, means for detecting a call back which is forwarded over said incoming trunk as the result of an incomplete person-to-person call, storage means for storing the calling and called number of the call back, and means in said toll service desk for keying the calling and called numbers for said call into said storage means.
 33. A system as set forth in claim 32 in which said toll service desk includes first key means for enabling said storage means to store the calling number, and second key means for enabling said storage means to store the called number, third key means for starting forward connection of the calling number subsequent to storage of the called number in said storage means, said calling number being the directory number of the party initiating call.
 34. A system as set forth in claim 33 in which said toll service desk includes means for initiating timing of a call after answer by the calling party, and means for thereupon releasing the toll service desk from the call.
 35. A system as set forth in claim 34 which includes automatic billing means, and means for enabling said automatic billing means to make a permanent record of the call information in said storage means responsive to a disconnect signal.
 36. A telephone central office switching system having at least one toll service desk (TSD), a plurality of incoming trunk lines, first switching means, a toll recording trunk (TRT-O) accessible to said incoming trunk lines over said first switching means for use in extending connections toward a called number, memory means accessible to said toll recording trunk including means for storing the class charge of call, and category decoder means responsive to said signals to provide an identification to the toll service desk (TSD) of the additional information required, second switching means (ABC) accessible to said toll recorder trunk for use in seizing said toll service desk (TSD) for use in the extension of the call, means at said toll service desk for keying a class charge into said memory means along with the calling and called numbers which are verbally received by the operator, means at said toll service desk for enabling said memory means to start the call forward over said toll recording trunk to the calling number, means at said toll service desk for initiating timing of the call with answer by the called party, and means for releasing the toll service desk from the connection.
 37. A telephone central office switching system having at least one toll service desk (TSD), a plurality of subscriber lines including non-coin subscriber lines, means including a toll recording trunk (TRT-O) accessible to said subscriber lines for use in extending calls of different classes over the system, register means accessible by said toll recording trunk for automatically providing a class-charge for a call, memory means for storing the class charge of the call provided by said register means including means in said memory means for signalling said register means to control said toll recording trunk to seize a toll service desk (TSD) for use in the extension of the call, class-charge means at said toll service desk operable by the operator to selectively change the class-charge of a call stored in said memory means from one class-charge to a different class-charge during the call, means in said toll service desk for releasing the desk from the connection, and recall means in said toll recording trunk operable by a non-coin subscriber line during the call to reselect a toll service desk for further assistance.
 38. A system as set forth in claim 37 in which said class charge means are operable to change the class-charge from a station-to-station class-charge to a person-to-person class charge, and from a person-to-person class charge to a station-to-station class charge.
 39. A telephone central office switching system having subscriber lines, toll recorDing trunks, and means including said toll recording trunks accessible to said subscriber lines for use in extending toll calls over the system, a toll service desk, means accessible to each toll recording trunk for selecting a toll service desk for temporary use in the establishment of a call, call timer means, means for automatically enabling said call timer means to time non-coin calls extended over said trunk, means at said toll service desk for releasing said desk from a non-coin call when the connection is made, recall means for effecting reconnection of a toll service desk to the non-coin call responsive to a signal from the calling party, and means responsive to operation of said recall means a predetermined period after start of the non-coin call to forward the answer time to said toll service desk for display purposes.
 40. In a telephone central office switching system having incoming trunks over which calls are received, toll recording trunks, and means including said toll recording trunks accessible to said incoming trunks for use in extending calls over the system, toll service desk means accessible to each toll recording trunk for selecting a toll service desk for temporary use in the establishment of a call, means for forwarding the call from said toll recording trunk to a called station, release means at said toll service desk for releasing the toll service desk from said call, and recall means for reselecting a toll service desk for connection to the call in response to a signal received over the incoming trunk.
 41. A system as set forth in claim 40 in which said call timer means is operative to automatically provide elapsed time of the call to said toll service desk.
 42. A system as set forth in claim 40 which includes means at the toll service desk for enabling the operator to provide time and charges to the called party for a call received over said incoming trunk.
 43. A system as set forth in claim 40 which includes automatic billing means for providing a record of certain of said calls.
 44. A system as set forth in claim 40 in which station having the called number is a coin telephone and which includes release means at the toll service desk for releasing the toll service desk from said call.
 45. A system as set forth in claim 40 which includes call timer means for operating said recall means a predetermined period after start of the call to effect reconnection of a toll service desk to the call.
 46. A system as set forth in claim 40 which includes automatic billing means for providing a permanent record of incoming calls, and in which said toll service desk includes means operable by the operator to prevent said billing means from providing a charge for such call.
 47. In a telephone central office switching system at least one toll service desk (TSD), a plurality of toll recording trunks (TRT-O), a plurality of lines over which calls are initiated, switching means including marker means for selecting an idle one of the toll recording trunks from said plurality of toll recording trunks and for connecting a calling line to the selected idle one of the toll recording trunks, means for providing a first signal set which identifies the calling line and a second signal set which provides the category of the calling line, register means (RTT and 1BR) accessible to said toll recording trunk for storing the identification and category of the calling line provided by said first and second signal set, memory means (MEM) including means for storing the information secured from said register means, and category decoder means for ascertaining the need for operator assistance (CD) including decoding means (CD) for determining the category of the call represented by said second signal set stored in said memory means by said register means, and means in said memory means for enabling said toll recorder trunk to select said toll service desk for use in extending the call as required. 